Vidalia High School basketball coach Robert Sanders has an exclusive definition for the term Most Valuable Player, and senior Demarco Brown is the perfect fit.

Although the Vikings have posted just an 8-13 record so far this season, Brown is a persistent bright spot, leading his team to a much better district record at 4-5.

“To me, MVP means where you be without that player,” Sanders said. “If we didn’t have (Brown) this year we would be even worse, and we wouldn’t be in conversation to be in the district race.”

Brown is currently averaging a firm 25 points a game in district play, as well as 12 rebounds. As one of four seniors, Sanders said Brown’s forceful nature has been his strongest asset.

“He’s the main guy this year, and he’s handled it well,” Sanders said. “Most games he plays 32 minutes. He is a competitor and wants to be the best he can be.”

Brown is not only a major influence during games, but Sanders said he is constantly training during the off-season, while also being a leader of the team during drills at practice.

Additionally, Brown is continuing the legacy as a Viking, since many of his family members played at Vidalia, including his mom and dad.

“I feel like I help (the team) build up a lot because at first it was rough, and we couldn’t win a game,” he said. “Every day I get people from other places that tell me they heard about me, and it makes me happy every time they say that.”

Brown hasn’t always been the go-to player, however. He said that since he started playing basketball in the sixth grade, it has been a growing process every year.

“At first I wasn’t that good, and I used to just play because I was really tall,” Brown said. “It’s what I love to do, and now I’m used to people counting on me for things.”

Despite having a strong supporting cast as a junior, Brown led the team in scoring with 461 total points and is on track to pass that number this season.

“He has gotten progressively better,” Sanders said. “Since his freshman year, he realized he was playing with older guys, and he matured.”

To make the most out of his senior campaign, Brown said that his main goal is to win at least one playoff game, which the Vikings haven’t done since 2010.

“It’s my goal because we have gone all three years I have been here, but we haven’t won,” he said. “I just want one to be able to have the experience.”

Brown and Vidalia will be back in action tonight at home against Winnfield.